Students are attending school in-person for five days of instruction. Staff regularly meet with state and local officials to monitor health and safety data. If local conditions require CCPS to reconsider full, in-person instruction, CCPS will work with staff to implement alternative learning options for students.
CCPS quarantine processes
Any time a decision is made to quarantine a classroom, grade-level or school, CCPS will communicate directly with the affected parents and staff of the school community. Systemwide decisions that affect all students, parents and staff are shared with the entire CCPS community. Read More.
Spectator access, out-of-county field trips suspended for January
CCPS has suspended spectator access this month for all athletic and extracurricular activities. Other than staff working these events, no other visitors will be allowed to attend January events. Some fine arts events may be livestreamed on YouTube or recorded for sharing purposes. CCPS streams some high school athletic events (those held in the gym or on the football field) using a service available online through the NFHS Network. Click here to create an NFHS account.
CCPS has implemented these temporary measures to eliminate unnecessary traffic of community members in schools. CCPS will evaluate future spectator access later this month and will implement an online ticketing system to manage visitor traffic to athletic events.
CCPS has also asked principals to postpone any out-of-county academic field trips for January. In-county field trips for students set to visit either the James E. Richmond Science Center or Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center will continue this month.
Updated outbreak language from state health department
Effective Jan. 1, the state health department released new kindergarten through Grade 12 COVID-19 outbreak definitions for classrooms and schools. CCPS will follow and report outbreak data as defined by the state health department below.
Classroom/cohort outbreak definition: three or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff in a specified group with onsets (or, if asymptomatic, collection dates) within a 14-day period, and who are epidemiologically linked in the school setting, but not household contacts.
Schoolwide outbreak definition: five or more cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; OR 5 percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14-day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).
All high school athletes and extracurricular participants must undergo weekly screening, regardless of vaccination status
Beginning on Jan. 3, all student athletes or students in Grades 6-12 who participate in extracurricular activities must participate in the weekly COVID-19 screening program, regardless of their vaccination status. This change will require any vaccinated athletes or extracurricular participants to register for the screening program. Parents must complete a one-time online registration process for their child with the state health department contractor, 20/20 GeneSystems, at https://schooltesting.2020gene.com/login.
Change in COVID-19 positive community notifications, data dashboard to update daily
Schools will no longer send community letters about new COVID-19 positive cases. Any student or staff member identified as possibly exposed to a COVID-19 positive person at school will still be contacted by the school system.
Free COVID-19 Preventative screening available for students, staff
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) offers free weekly COVID-19 preventative screenings for students and staff. To participate, parents and staff must complete a one-time registration with the state health department contractor, 20/20 GeneSystems. Click here to access the registration portal.
The test used is an anterior nasal swab PCR test. Results are provided to parents and staff in the portal within 48 hours. Users can sign up for email notifications. Only positive results are shared confidentially with the CCPS Office of School Safety and Security for follow up to ensure sick students or staff are not coming to schools. Click here to read more about the free screening.
CCPS tightens COVID-19 testing procedures at schools
CCPS has protocols in place for the testing of sick students and staff by a school nurse. Students with a known COVID-19 exposure who want to test out of quarantine after seven days with a negative COVID-19 test must visit their doctor, use an outside vendor or test through the Charles County Department of Health. The health department offers free testing three times a week. Families may also elect to quarantine their child for 10 days and return to school without testing. Staff who are exposed outside of school cannot receive a COVID-19 test at school to end a quarantine early. Staff should visit their doctor, use an outside vendor or test through the health department on day seven, or wait until day 10 to return to work without a test.
Rapid tests will only be administered by nurses at their discretion for students or staff who display severe COVID-19 symptoms. Any student or staff member who pre-screens as potentially positive for COVID-19 will be offered a PCR test. Staff and students may not return to school or school activities until the results of the test are known. Additionally, individuals who refuse the PCR test after pre-screening as potentially positive will be presumed COVID-19 positive and excluded from school and school activities for ten days.
Limited volunteer program participation
Schools are currently limiting the number of volunteers to aid with field trips and other school-related activities. Volunteers are still required to complete a background check, and consent to completing the CCPS prescreening health questionnaire before coming into contact with students or staff. Each school has a designated volunteer coordinator who oversees the volunteer process. Community members interested in volunteer opportunities should contact their child’s school for specific details.
Instruction for sick, quarantined students
Schools have instructional plans for students who are out of school, either from COVID-19 or another illness, or have been asked by CCPS to quarantine. All instructional plans for schools are posted on individual school websites.
Sick individuals should stay home
Limiting the number of people who enter a school building — particularly those who are not inside of CCPS schools daily such as students, staff and teachers — will aid staff who conduct COVID-19 contact tracing.
Staff in the CCPS Office of School Safety and Security oversees contact tracing for every positive case of COVID-19 reported to the CCPS Office of School Administration and the Office of Human Resources. School staff assist with contact tracing, as well.
The safety of schools is a community effort among staff, teachers and parents. CCPS asks parents to complete the COVID-19 prescreening questionnaire daily before sending their child on the bus or to school. The questionnaire is posted here on the CCPS website. Staff are also asked to assess their health before coming to work.
Parents with a sick child should keep their children home, and not send their child to school or on the bus. CCPS also asks for children to be kept home if they have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person in the last seven days (and are not vaccinated), live with someone who is COVID-19 positive (and are not vaccinated), are in quarantine due to another exposure or waiting for a COVID-19 test result. Staff are also asked to follow the same guidelines.
Testing rule for student athletes, Grades 6-12 extracurricular activities
CCPS has testing requirements for high school student athletes, as well as students in Grades 6-12 who participate in specific extracurricular activities. These students are required to particpiate in the free weekly CCPS COVID-19 screening program (starting Jan. 3, 2022).
Parents of students participating in the screening program must complete a one-time registration and consent for their child. As part of the program, students will be tested weekly for COVID-19. The screening is done by the Maryland Department of Health contracted provider 20/20 GeneSystems.
Testing schedule
Staff and CCPS students are eligible for free weekly COVID-19 screening, regardless of participation in athletics or extracurricular activities. The following list outlines the screening schedule for all schools and centers.
Monday
- Henry E. Lackey, La Plata, North Point and Westlake high schools, General Smallwood Middle School, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, Mary B. Neal, Malcolm and Billingsley elementary schools.
Tuesday
- Maurice J. McDonough, St. Charles and Thomas Stone high schools, Milton M. Somers Middle School, Dr. James Craik, Gale-Bailey, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon, Indian Head, J.C. Parks and Mary H. Matula elementary schools.
Wednesday
- Henry E. Lackey, La Plata, North Point and Westlake high schools, Theodore G. Davis Middle School, C. Paul Barnhart, Walter J. Mitchell, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy and T.C. Martin elementary schools.
Thursday
- Maurice J. McDonough, St. Charles and Thomas Stone high schools, Piccowaxen and John Hanson middle schools, Berry, Arthur Middleton and J.P. Ryon elementary schools.
Friday
- F. B. Gwynn Educational Center, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center, Mattawoman, Matthew Henson and Benjamin Stoddert middle schools, Dr. Gustavus Brown, Eva Turner, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, William A. Diggs and William B. Wade elementary schools.
Face mask requirement use for staff, students and visitors to schools, buildings, centers and CCPS facilities
CCPS requires mask use for anyone inside a CCPS building. This applies to everyone, including individuals already vaccinated against COVID-19. The mask mandate is in effect until further notice. Masks are also required on CCPS transportation for bus drivers, attendants and any student using CCPS bus services.
